Forging Elite Fitness

When did you first start CrossFitting?: 04/8/13 When did you first start training at CF 818?: 04/8/13

Tell us about your sports and fitness background: I played little league baseball from 12 years old up until high school baseball. I was actually pretty good at most sports. I also trained Muay Thai for 2 years in my early twenties and worked out at the gym most of my life. How did you first get exposed to CrossFit? Take us back to your first WOD...what was it, and how did it feel? My first workout was 04/8/13, I did EMOTM for 12 min 2 push press and AMRAP 12 min, 4 push press, 12 air squats and 8 toe to bar. I did horrible and was very disappointed about how bad I did. I live a few blocks from our box at CF818 and every time I would walk by I could not help myself looking in and seeing what the guys were doing. Part of me was very intimidated by what I saw and part of me wanted to come in try to see what it was all about. What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness since starting CF (before/after)? Within the first few months once my body adjusted to the level of training I went from 155 to almost 170 and I felt very strong. Towards the end of the year I slimmed down to my current weight of 160. I would constantly catch myself thinking at random places “it would be pretty cool to just bust out couple of handstand push ups and see how people would react me doing it”. What sort of changes in your life have you experienced out of taking on something like CrossFit that were totally unexpected? Besides feeling like a Hulk around my friends when we are doing random things, I would surprise them and myself at how my training made me better physically and mentally. One time I was helping a friend move and he asked me to help him grab the other side of this 70 inch TV, so when I went to grab it (automatically I went into a squat position) and I realized that it was not that heavy for me so I told him I got this. I took the TV down to the truck all by myself without really trying too hard. When it was time to unload the truck I noticed these 2 helpers were struggling together with the same TV that I was holding by myself. That’s when I realized all those heavy cleans, dead lifts, squats and kettlebells we were doing really paid off. I really felt this satisfaction inside of me that all my hard work was paying off. Please share with us any favorite CrossFit / CF 818 moments: When I first started I could not help with my ego that I was gonna crush everyone but soon realized that my ego really needed to be left at the door. So one time Armen noticed that I was staring at the leaders board a little too long and he asked me if I wanted to be on it. I quickly told him that I really didn’t think I had a shot but he convinced me otherwise. I don’t remember which category but there was just one persons name on it, so Armen told me I can do as many as I can and still be on it since there was room for 5 people. So when I got my name on the leader board I was very excited and made a promise to get on it for real next time. Having strong shoulders I was kind of good at handstand push-ups so one day I told Armen to time me and I busted out like 15 of them in a row and I got on the board. I know to many people it doesn’t really matter but for me it was a big deal so now I strive to push myself and improve.

Its funny now days I will notice random people wearing t-shirts with Rogue or CrossFit and I will strike up a conversation and when they realize I do CrossFit also its like we are from the same family. I know what he goes through and he knows what I go through with the WODs and we always end our conversation with “I will never go back to a gym like 24hrs if they offered a lifetime membership for free.” Any advice for people just getting started? Don’t be intimidated because everyone improves at their own level and pace. All the people at our box didn’t wake up one day and started squatting 400 or clean 200 but with hard work everyone will hit their potential. Trust your coaches at CrossFit 818 because they know their stuff and they actually care for us and our well being. What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit? Because of Crossfit I am now more involved with outdoor activities. At least couple of times a year my buddies and I go ice fishing, jetskiing, snowmobiling, camping, quads and mountain biking. My goal is one day bring my 2 girls in when they are old enough and do CrossFit with them, I think that would be pretty cool. I just want to say thanks to Zareh, Armen and my fellow CrossFitters (Slice especially) for all your help and much appreciated advice.

David (AKA Rich Froning Jr Jr) photobombs and motivates Slice at the same time!